WCHM works closely with the three ACT mental health community sector peak bodies—the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network, the Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT and Carers ACT—to ensure inter-sectoral collaboration and co-ordination in the planning, provision and evaluation of women’s mental health services and programs.

The focus of this collaboration is on developing, improving and maintaining a full range of women friendly mental health services. We hope that this will assist women with mental health issues to voice their concerns and facilitate women’s participation in decision making on health policy.

In addition to our collaboration with these three organisations, WCHM advocates for women sensitive responses in the mental health system through representation on committees and submissions to consultations.

For example, WCHM is a member of ACT Health’s Mental Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention Implementation and Evaluation Group 2009–2014, and was a member of the Adult Secure Mental Health Inpatient Unit Executive Reference Group.

WCHM has also provided input to relevant ACT consultations including a submission to the Review of the ACT Mental Health (Treatment and Care) Act 1994; a submission to the ACT Comorbidity Strategy; a submission to the ACT Carers Charter; and submissions to the ACT Preliminary Model of Care for the Adolescent and Young Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit (AYAMHIU) and the ACT Secure Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit (SAMHIU). These submissions are all available from the submissions area of this website.